S1 E1 Pilot
by JDPostEpisodeChallenge
Summary: Post Ep by Lilyiseverywhere


"Josh?" I pause and turn around to face the President. "Don't ever let it happen again"

"Yes Sir" I reply quickly, relieved to have been let off the hook. I try not to let my enthusiasm show too much as I closed the door and make my way through the outer office with increased vigour. I walk briskly back to my office with renewed purpose, now that I know I'm going to have a job come Monday the prospect of getting more work done tonight feels much more appealing.

"DONNA!"

Making my way across the bullpen I try not to bump into the various desks and staffers bellowing for my assistant again as I enter my office not really paying attention to my surroundings.

"What?" her voice comes from directly behind where I stand startling me

"Can you summarise that memo on A3C3 for me?"

"yes" she responds scribbling in her notebook

"and schedule a meeting with Senator Lewis for sometime next week"

"yes"

"and get in touch with CJ's office about the statement on the appropriations bill"

"Carol called and said it would be ready for approval by the end of today. Was that all?" she doesn't wait for an answer snapping her notebook shut"

"Yeah thanks" I sigh collapsing into my chair. Donna however remains standing in front of me, giving me that distracting wide eyed gaze. Whenever she stares at me like that I can always feel myself getting sucked into a ridiculous argument that she will inevitably win, not that I would ever admit that to her. I survey her for a moment. "And is there anything you need Donnatella?" What can I say I'm in a good mood, teasing Donna didn't seem like a bad way to spend five minutes.

"So, if you're meeting Senator Lewis sometime next week can I assume you're still going to be employed next week?" I smirk

"What can I say President Bartlet is really committed to achieving low unemployment rates."

"Yes, I knew it!" she beams at me and it making my heart soar for just a minute

"Why Donnatella I didn't know you would miss me so much"

"No, not you I'm glad I've still got a job, I've got rent to pay"

"I'm sure they would have kept you" I say "certain people here are remarkable fond of you" I smile at her and then cover for myself with "for some reason" Donna however brushes past the moment spinning round of her heels and calling back to me over her shoulder.

"Are you kidding? What if the next one had been a competent human being capable of looking after themselves? That would have been half my workday gone." She disappears back to her desk before I get a chance to respond.

That night Sam and Donna had dragged CJ, Toby and myself to a bar in Georgetown to celebrate that I still had my job. I didn't feel much like celebrating, despite what my friends might say I didn't want to appear arrogant. Donna's (and to be honest Sam's) pleading looks had convinced me and so I now found myself cramped in a corner booth of a Georgetown bar between CJ and Donna. The drinks have been flowing pretty freely but I have been nursing my latest beer for a while now not wanting the alcohol to have too much of an effect over me (not that it was sensitive or anything, despite what Donna says. I also noticed that Donna hasn't been drinking as much as the rest of us. She never does when she has to take the Metro home. Sam whose system is clearly far more delicate than mine returns from the bar and instead of taking the extra seat next to Toby he squeezes himself into the booth on the other side of Donna pressing her further into my side. I pull my arm out from between us and draped it over her shoulder lightly punching Sam on the shoulder, maybe as a cover for bring my-self even closer to Donna, maybe not I dodn't really care. She's just my assistant.

"Can I just say" CJ suddenly interrupts the quiet conversations and raising her glass "I'm really glad the President decided not to fire you Josh, so I'm gonna make a toast "she chuckles "to not having to find a new pain in the ass" The other raised their glasses too and repeated her sentiment as I try, unsuccessfully to look hurt. After a few more drinks have been shared Donna grabs her scarf.

"Excuse me Sam I'm gonna head home" She slides out of the booth and I follow on impulse.  
"I'll walk you"

"But Josh" CJ whines "you're the whole reason for this get together"

"I'm you'll have just as much fun without me mi compadre" I reply before she can argue further. Making our farewells I follow Donna out in to the street wrapping my coat further around me against the cold air I turn to her

"you're not getting the Metro, are you?"

"Yes, like I always do" she's giving me that look again, that one that tells me trouble was coming

"You shouldn't have to travel alone on there this late at night"

"I won't be alone, lots of other people will be on their way home" she retorts

"let me make sure you get home okay"

"How exactly do you plan to do that, you're not fit to drive, and a cab would cost a fortune, not to mention it would be a huge waste of time and taking the metro there and back would be pointless." She protests indignantly. It has started to snow by now and I'm even less willing for her to trudge through the snow for 10 minutes after she gets off the metro

"well stay at my place tonight then, I've got a spare room and you'll be out of the cold so much sooner"

"that's not really appropriate even with the spare room and everything"

"come on Donnatella what's a spare bed among friends"

"that's just your sensitive system talking"

"its not sensitive, and I've only had two and a half beers. Come on Donna its not like anything's gonna happen"

"fine but only cause my nose is turning red" I smile at my victory and hail down a cab, getting in and giving the driver my address before she can change her mind. Donna drifts of a little as we sit in the back of the cab her head migrating towards my shoulder. Her ability to fall asleep almost immediately in any moving vehicle no matter how short the journey was something that had amazed me during the campaign and even more so now. The cab pulls up outside my building and I nudge Donna awake handing the driver a couple bills. She makes her way up the steps as I pay, not bothering to wait for me instead producing the spare key from her handbag and unlocking the door herself.

Donna has never really spent much time at my apartment but she makes herself comfortable quickly enough, I gave her an old hoodie and sweats ones that were slightly too small for me and she had disappeared into the spare room to change. I have no earthly idea why I asked Donna to stay tonight but for some reason I didn't want her going home on the metro even though she's done it so many times before. Getting fired would have sucked but it wouldn't suck half as much as not getting to work with Donna every day.

"So, I'm safe and everything, can I go sleep now" Her voice behind me startles me a bit, not that I'd let her know that.

"Wait – ugh um" She looks at me all expectantly and wide eyed again "want to watch some TV?"

"Sure, what do you want to watch?"

"C-Span" I shrug at her slightly embarrassed that I can't think of anything else to watch. It's gonna seem like work now. Donna however grins at me

"Can I make suggestions for policy ideas?"

"Would I be able to stop you?"

"Nope." She makes her way over to the couch settling herself into the corner leaning on the arm rest curled up like a ball and I sit down next to her, not too close and flick on the TV.

"You know you can feel free to take any of my suggestions to the President" she grins

"Oh, really I should feel that freedom?"

"Of-course it could be helpful to you having already almost lost your job and all"

I pause for a moment before I respond to her

"you know I meant what I said this afternoon, you don't just work at the white house because I do. You've more than proved yourself."

She doesn't meet my eyes instead staring straight ahead at the TV. "well its one thing for you to say that but I don't think everyone would agree."

"of course they would" this time she meets my eyes

"Sure Josh" Suddenly I felt ever so slightly wounded, she's placating me.

"No Donna really I mean it"

"I agree" her eyes dart away from mine "That's your opinion" She shuffles in her seat and I become irritated

"God Donna don't be so modest if you don't see how valuable you must be far more naïve than I thought " perhaps that came out shaper than I intended cause when she replies her tone has a bite to it.

"I'm not being modest I'm being realistic"

"you do realise I couldn't do my job half as well without you and people see that" I stand up almost pacing the room in my frustration. She pauses for a moment before standing up as well getting in my way.

"Josh just because I'm a good assistant it doesn't mean I'm invaluable, you're just saying that cause we're friends" When I respond to her it's with a full-blown rant, I'd probably look ridiculous to anyone else watching hell I probably look ridiculous to Donna but I don't really care she needs to know.

"Donna its not just my damn schedule, you challenge me, you make me think about the big picture. Half the decent recommendations I make to the President is because you've made me flesh out my argument. You keep me level headed. You go above and beyond and your insightful, its why the President, the President Donna, sings your praises, its why everyone in the office and far more than half the people on the hill love you. Its why I'm in love with you." My heart drops into my stomach, shouldn't have said that.

Donna however just looks stricken "did you mean that?"

"I'm not just trying to inflate your ego Donna"

"no the last part do you really mean it" my heart is pounding in my chest, so quickly it almost hurts, feeling like I might have just ruined everything I nod slowly.

"I'm definitely in love with you Donnatella" and suddenly she's kissing me, she tastes vaguely whiskey sours and oh my god I know how Donna tastes. I'm overwhelmed by her scent which can only be described as Donna and her hands are running through my hair. My heart beats more quickly for a completely different reason and it's the best feeling in the word. Maybe just maybe I'm not completely ruined.


End file.
